topic Re: Roberta's Gone from QVC? New Company, Van Zyverden? in Garden

Roberta's Gone from QVC? New Company, Van Zyverden?

Caaareful Shopper — Thu, 19 Jan 2023 18:55:55 GMT

Nothing new online under the name Roberta's.

Plenty of plants and gardening items from a new name -- Van Zyverden. Here's their website information on their company:

Van Zyverden, Inc., has been a principal in the flower bulb industry for over 100 years. It is one of the largest wholesale distributors of flower bulbs in the United States, shipping over 450 million bulbs and plants in the U.S. and Canada annually. Headquartered in Meridian, Mississippi, Van Zyverden also has facilities in Sassenheim, Holland and Burlington, Washington.

Re: Roberta's Gone from QVC? New Company, Van Zyverden?

Kachina624 — Thu, 19 Jan 2023 19:38:36 GMT

Good move, QVC! I've long avoided anything with Roberta's name. They sold too many exotic plants knowing full well the average gardner wouldn't be able to grow them. Too many things with exacting requirements for growing conditions. I got tired of reading all the complaints about poor quality and rude CS.

Re: Roberta's Gone from QVC? New Company, Van Zyverden?

PA Mom-mom — Thu, 19 Jan 2023 21:53:51 GMT

@Caaareful Shopper Roberta's still mentions it's partnership with QVC on the Roberta's website. Maybe they haven't updated it yet. Or, maybe they are still with QVC and haven't loaded their products on the QVC website yet. Well, I'm glad for any new gardening companies. Heck, any new offerings on QVC are welcome.

Re: Roberta's Gone from QVC? New Company, Van Zyverden?

Glitter51 — Thu, 19 Jan 2023 19:47:28 GMT

Good!!! Bc their flowers were C***!!! Never anything liked they showed on air.

Re: Roberta's Gone from QVC? New Company, Van Zyverden?

Foxxee — Thu, 19 Jan 2023 19:51:13 GMT

Finally!!! What took QVC so long.

Van Zyverden is a very good company.

Re: Roberta's Gone from QVC? New Company, Van Zyverden?

Spacrazy — Thu, 19 Jan 2023 19:59:58 GMT

I hope so. Never had any luck with Roberta's. The only reason I continued to try was the Q - factor. I knew they would stand behind my Roberta's failures and they did. Of course I had to eat some things due to time constraints but I believe a big area of defect was their packaging/shipping. Think I'll stick with starting my own seeds and buy local. Good growing everyone !

Re: Roberta's Gone from QVC? New Company, Van Zyverden?

ValuSkr — Thu, 19 Jan 2023 20:00:28 GMT

It will be nice to have a new plant supplier. Van Zyverden looks to sell mainly plants with bulbs or tubers, but let's give them a chance.

Of course, we'll miss the Walliens - Devin, Derek, Stefani, and Koort. Maybe Philip Watson too - wasn't he most recently affiliated with Roberta's?

I'm hoping the Cottage Farms gal returns - Katie Dubow - along with Barbara King.

Re: Roberta's Gone from QVC? New Company, Van Zyverden?

Caaareful Shopper — Thu, 19 Jan 2023 20:04:58 GMT

@PA Mom-mom wrote:
@Caaareful Shopper Roberta's still mentions it's partnership with QVC on the Roberta's website. Maybe they haven't updated it yet. Or, maybe they are still with QVC and haven't loaded their products on the QVC website yet. Well, I'm glad for any new gardening companies. Heck, any new offerings on QVC is welcome.

@PA Mom-mom Wow, you're right. Perhaps Roberta's is waiting to change their website when they get another partnership or business venture. Still having the QVC name on their website is good marketing. They haven't updated their social media pages since last year either.

QVC's first garden day of the season is February 2. Roberta's is nowhere mentioned by name in the Program Guide for that day.

Re: Roberta's Gone from QVC? New Company, Van Zyverden?

AuntG — Fri, 20 Jan 2023 00:10:49 GMT

Very observant! I've watched plant shows but always buy from local nurseries.

Re: Roberta's Gone from QVC? New Company, Van Zyverden?

moonandthestars — Fri, 20 Jan 2023 00:46:19 GMT

I purchased some great plants from Roberta's and they did really well for me! Sad to hear they are leaving or have already left qvc. I liked seeing the family present the plants. There was only 1 plant that didn't do well for me, but years later it's still alive! Some kind of indoor flowering cactus that has NEVER flowered. It just grows longer and longer. I moved it into the garage to see if the cold and dark would change something re:flowers. but nothing has charged. still growing!

Re: Roberta's Gone from QVC? New Company, Van Zyverden?

Skyegirl21 — Fri, 20 Jan 2023 02:17:29 GMT

I'm leery... I ordered allium bulbs from VanZyverden ( via Q), last fall. supposed to get 25 and the size was >1". Well when I got them, there was 13 and they were tiny. I returned them- Not impressed- I put in a review but I don't see that product offered now. I won't try them again.

Re: Roberta's Gone from QVC? New Company, Van Zyverden?

Grade1Teach — Fri, 20 Jan 2023 10:19:37 GMT

QVC has had Van Zyverden bulbs on their site for a few years now. For some reason, they just don't air them. You can find this brand at Home Depot for much cheaper prices. I have bought a few bags of bulbs from them through the years (at Home Depot) and they usually do very well.

I don't think QVC has ended their partnership with Roberta's. I have noticed that many of the plant offerings are either sparse or non-existent until QVC starts airing their shows. I believe the first Gardening Day is on February 2nd. I'm more than ready for that!

Also, I just did a search for Roberta's on QVC's site and they have 13 products being offered. I see the hanging baskets, fertilizer, some gardening tools, and a bunch of waitlisted plants from last year. Maybe there was a problem with the site when you searched under their name.

Re: Roberta's Gone from QVC? New Company, Van Zyverden?

amyb — Fri, 20 Jan 2023 13:13:46 GMT

I love to watch the garden shows and dream of spring, but as @AuntG said, we have so many great local nurseries that I want to support them. Plus I love going there, help is readily available on site, and I have loyalty points at a few of them...so win/win.

Years ago I would buy from Cottage Farms, when mom had her home and I did some gardening for her (at my place it's condo, and only deck/planter gardening, and small ground areas.)

For the most part things worked out....day lillies, irises, small rose bushes. One of those rose bushes really thrived and I still have. From a tiny plant, it's now human size, and blooms beautifully twice a year. Got a bug last year, garden center said was common last summer, but we cut it back and sprayed, should come back this year.

Only thing I never had luck with from Cottage Farms was the blueberry bush. Started it in a pot for a few years on my deck, then transferred to mom's. Never grew much, the few berries it would ever get wouldn't ripen, and rabbits always got them. I'm done trying to grow fruit.

Anyway, I buy local now.

Re: Roberta's Gone from QVC? New Company, Van Zyverden?

SandySparkles — Sat, 21 Jan 2023 03:30:41 GMT

I purchased an Oriental Totem Pole from them in 2019. It started out as a " pole", and is now a beautiful potted " tree" that reaches the ceiling, and has to be cut back periodically. My daughter has it now, and receives many compliments from visitors. Perhaps my experience is unique.😊

~~~All we need is LOVE💖

Re: Roberta's Gone from QVC? New Company, Van Zyverden?

Caaareful Shopper — Sat, 21 Jan 2023 22:45:37 GMT

Still don't know if they're still on QVC and just late with their inventory online, or if they're gone completely.

I guess we'll know soon enough.

Re: Roberta's Gone from QVC? New Company, Van Zyverden?

ValuSkr — Sat, 21 Jan 2023 22:51:59 GMT

@Caaareful Shopper wrote:
Still don't know if they're still on QVC and just late with their inventory online, or if they're gone completely.

I guess we'll know soon enough.

With so many Walliens, you'd think one of them could have uploaded their 2023 offerings to Q's website by now. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Re: Roberta's Gone from QVC? New Company, Van Zyverden?

Icegoddess — Sat, 21 Jan 2023 23:05:12 GMT

I won't buy from Roberta's. Had a terrible experience the one time I did, so no matter how inviting the plants they present are, I won't buy from them.

Probably also won't buy from the new company. I don't have anything against them or buying online, but if they specialize in bulbs, I just don't have a place for them, and I already feed the chipmunks and squirrels enough.

I mostly shop from Bluestone Perennials. If I'm looking for something exotic, I'll check Logee's Greenhouses. I have other online resources, so QVC is really not a contender. I'd rather deal directly with the company.

Re: Roberta's Gone from QVC? New Company, Van Zyverden?

nascarfan — Sun, 22 Jan 2023 02:47:00 GMT

I'm going back to purchasing from my local nursery. I just haven't had luck with items I've purchased online.......and it's becoming cost prohibitive.

Re: Roberta's Gone from QVC? New Company, Van Zyverden?

fingerlakesny — Wed, 25 Jan 2023 12:45:04 GMT

When Phillip Watson left Cottage Farms he had his own name with QVC but the products were from Robertas. I wonder what will become of Phillip if Robertas leaves QVC?

Re: Roberta's Gone from QVC? New Company, Van Zyverden?

Caaareful Shopper — Thu, 26 Jan 2023 20:29:14 GMT

Well, there they are, the Roberta's are in Sandra's show this afternoon. Lots of items now loaded on the website as well.